Harley helps.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

fail: Macbook Air case

After a lot of coaxing from friends and family, I finally broke down and bought an 11" Macbook Air. (Goodbye, ancient Dell laptop. I won't miss you and all of your various screens of death.)

I love it, but it needs a case. Or, rather, I'd feel better if it had a case -- something small and padded that just fits the laptop.

I really wanted something soft that didn't look like it came from Staples. I had visions of Alabama Chanin fabric and quilt batting and a picture of Antwerp's train station on the front.

(Did I mention that Antwerp's train station is gorgeous? I miss it. Wonder if they're hiring.)

(And yes, I need a new camera.)

I scanned the Antwerp picture and printed it out on a fabric inkjet sheet. Then I stitched it to a piece of scrap AC jersey, and then made the case using ye olde potholder method: 1) lay cover right side up, 2) lay lining right side down, 3) layer batting on both, 4) stitch around, leaving an opening on the bottom, 5) turn right side out and topstitch.

I lined it and made ties with leftover sweater knit from Fabric Mart, and I made the pocket from a test-stenciled scrap of AC fabric and backed it with more sweater fabric. All good, right? Right??

Uh. Slight problem. (Okay, big problem.)

It's too big. Way too big for my poor little 11-inch Macbook. AND

the Antwerp picture isn't centered. Which is going to drive me nuts until it's fixed.

I test-drove the new case once or twice, and it's padded well enough, but the size isn't really working -- the laptop slides around all over the place. That's what I get for half-assing the size (aka: "Hey, I think this scrap is big enough").

So I think there's no other way around it: Either I cut it all completely open and redo the case, or cut it partly open and make a tote bag and start totally over on the case. Leaning toward option #2.